Five Small but Notable Enhancements in Final Cut Pro 10.4

Despite receiving a lot of backlash since its launch in 2012, Final Cut Pro X has undoubtedly evolved into a more advanced and mature video editing application loved by a multitude of video editors, from novices to professionals, all over the world.

Two weeks ago, Apple released the Final Cut Pro 10.4, which promises to deliver even more performance enhancements and interface upgrades that are heavily based on user input and suggestions. While there are some highly demanded features introduced with the update, such as 360 VR and HDR support, a video by 9to5Mac highlights five smaller improvements though while not entirely significant, seem to be fairly noticeable to keen editors.

One significant enhancement found in the new Final Cut Pro, for instance, is the ability of the app to alert the user when exporting Proxy Media. In older versions of the software, it was easy for editors to mistakingly export videos using the Proxy Media, which potentially wastes time and money.

In the newest update, however, Final Cut Pro X now alerts users if they are about to export Proxy Media, saving them the hassle of having to go back and fix this pesky mistake by re-rendering.

Another newly-added feature worth noting is the ability to export animated GIFs right off the bat thanks to FCP X’s improved integration with Compressor. To take advantage of this functionality, you need to create a new project using the Image Sequence format inside of the Compressor application beforehand.

Under General Properties, you should switch Image Type to GIF, select the Animated option and set the Playback to Continuously. Also, don’t forget to change the Frame Rate to Automatic under the Video tab. Once you’re done, go back into Final Cut Pro and import the Animated GIF setting you’ve just created. With that, you’re now able to export GIFs directly from the NLE.

Furthermore, inside Final Cut Pro 10.4, you can now easily create a New Project using the parameters of an already existing piece of source media. Just right-click on a clip in the Media Browser and select New Project.

Another enhancement made in Final Cut Pro 10.4 is the authentication method for uploading directly to YouTube from within the program. Considering that the new authentication workflow uses your system’s default browser, you can now effortlessly sign in and authenticate the connection between your editor and your YouTube account. This process is especially fastened if you’re already signed into your YouTube account in your default browser, which makes sharing your video content a breeze.

The last feature shown in the video is just as convenient and efficient as the previous ones. By pressing Control + Tab on your keyboard, you can easily cycle through the different Inspector Tabs in the platform, allowing you to switch between each adjustment tab. While this is a very minute detail, you might find yourself using it more and more frequently as it does come in handy when you want to plow through your editing workflow as quickly as possible.

What are your favorite features in FCP X 10.4? Let us know in the comments below.